Behavior in Organizations : Understanding and Managing the Human Side of Work

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Organizational Behavior: The Ultimate Reality Show Three years ago, when the previous EDITION of this book was published, Enron and WorldCom were successful and highly acclaimed companies, involvement in a dot-corn was an assured path to riches, and September ii was just a date on the calENDar. Today, that's all changed. In a very short time, it's become a different world, especially the business world. Companies that once moved "from bricks to clicks" today are returning to bricks, but are keeping the clicks as well. Many organizations that downsized in a sagging economy subsequently rehired employees, only to downsize once more. And, workplaces that used to be considered safe havens from the uncertainties of a sometimes-evil world, today are considered far more vulnerable than ever. Because the field of OB is constantly adjusting to reality, we think of it-and this book-as "the ultimate reality show." As in the TV show, Survivor, only the most adaptable individuals and teams in the workplace can be expected to make it to tomorrow. And, as in the TV show, Big Brother, relationships with other people also hold the key to success at work. Finally, just as winners in these television programs stand to receive large sums of money and are likely to enjoy the experience of playing the game, so too do employers and employees benefit financially and personally when they have mastered OB. Unlike these so-called reality shows, with their carefully scripted scenarios and meticulously chosen casts, however, behavior in organizations is reality. Its effects are ongoing and profound. And this is why we consider it to be "the ultimate" in reality, and why we put so much care into preparing this book. Topic Coverage: Old and New You would not have a serious OB book without paying attention to Weber's concept of bureaucracy, Maslow's need hierarchy theory, and dozens of other classic theories and studies. Such works are to be found on these PAGES. Competing for space are an equal number of more contemporary approaches to OB that also have received our attention. Consider, for example, just a few of the many new topics covered in this book: Ethics audits, corporate social responsibility, e-training, Chief Knowledge Officer, successful intelligence, emoticons, organizational compassion', religious intolerance, cyber-venting and much more!

PART I: INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

1

(36)

The Field of Organizational Behavior

1

(36)

PART II: BASIC HUMAN PROCESSES

37

(108)

Perception and Learning: Understanding and Adapting to the Work Environment

37

(42)

Individual Differences: Personality and Abilities

79

(34)

Emotions and Stress on the Job

113

(32)

PART III: THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE ORGANIZATION

145

(126)

Work-Related Attitudes: Feelings About Jobs, Organizations, and People

I. Theory and Research: Tools for Learning About Behavior in Organizations

623

(14)

Notes

637

(24)

Glossary

661

(12)

Photo Credits

673

(2)

Company Index

675

(4)

Name Index

679

(2)

Subject Index

681

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR: THE ULTIMATE REALITY SHOW Three years ago, when the previous edition of this book was published, Enron and WorldCom were successful and highly acclaimed companies; involvement in a dot-com was an assured path to riches, and September 11 was just a date on the calendar. Today, that's all changed. In a very short time, it's become a different world, especially the business world. Companies that once moved "from bricks to clicks" today are returning to bricks, but are keeping the clicks as well. Many organizations that downsized in a sagging economy subsequently rehired employees, only to downsize once more. And, workplaces that used to be considered safe havens from the uncertainties of a sometimes evil world, today are considered far more vulnerable than ever. To be sure, in preparing the eighth edition ofBehavior in Organizations,we have taken careful notice of today's ethical scandals, the always shifting--and sometimes troubled--economy, and underlying concerns about terrorism that reside in our consciousness. Then again, doing otherwise would be impossible. As chroniclers of the world of work and organizations, we cannot help but come across these themes. These issues, and many others, are on the minds of the students we teach in the classroom (undergraduates, MBA candidates, and doctoral students), the workers we train on the job (ranging from minimum-wage laborers to top CEOs), and the officials from the companies to whom we provide consulting services (from start-ups toFortune500 firms). Whatever is on their minds also is on ours. And, these concerns get translated into coverage in this book. For the most part, what everyone wants is relevance. "Theories and research are important," our students acknowledge, so long as they offer insight into what's happening in individual's heads, what's going on in work teams, and how people are interacting with their organizations. "Tell me something I need to know," they clamor; so we listen, and we deliver. And, if those plaques acknowledging our teaching and scholarship that line the walls of our offices mean anything, we have been delivering precisely what's deeded in an effective manner for more than 60 years combined. In preparing this book, our mission was to capture this relevance in a form that could enlighten our target audience--college students who desire to learn about the complexities ,of human behavior in organizations. Fortunately, we are in a good position to appreciate these complexities. When not plying our trade in the classroom or the executive suite, we can be found conducting research that contributes to the scholarly contributions that are the foundation of our field. Indeed, this is our fundamental task as professors who work in universities at which scholarship is not only valued, but demanded. And, we are proud of the body of knowledge our field's research has generated--not just our own work, but also the research of our many colleagues in the field. After all, without such scholarly contributions, we would have no basis for knowing--let alone, teaching--anything about behavior in organizations that went beyond mere speculation based on personal experience. Of course, as a field, organizational behavior (OB) is firmly grounded in science--and these scientific underpinnings also are highlighted in this book. Indeed, this has been a hallmark ofBehavior in Organizationsthroughout the quarter-century of its life. The hundreds of professors who have adopted earlier editions of this book throughout the years, and the thousands of students who have read it, have valued our research-based approach. These individuals, our core constituency, surely will be pleased to find that this orientation has been retained in this edition of the text. Thus far, we have referred to this book as practical in orientation and also research-based. I